The Costs of Living: Join the Party
It’s not uncommon these days to hear complaints about how expensive life is. In the midst of rising costs of inflation and never-ending budget cuts, we want to take some time to consider how the Bible approaches the costs of living. Looking through the lens of Jesus’ own ministry over these next few weeks, we hope to learn practical lessons for how to approach the challenges of vocation and discipleship in a costly world.
Scripture: Luke 5:27-30
Have you ever been frustrated because you missed out on a good party? Maybe your friend is telling you about the party they had over the weekend and in your head, you can’t help but wonder, “Why wasn’t I invited”? In our story this week, we are told about a party that was thrown by Levi the Tax Collector. Jesus saw him one day as we was doing his job, making a living, and working for the Romans. The only problem was that Levi’s job required him to be someone with questionable relations and without ethics. Tax Collectors in that day were notorious for cheating their own countrymen by charging extra profits for themselves while also being employed by the enemy. Knowing this, Jesus sought to invite him anyways to his growing group of disciples. In response, we’re told that Levi chooses to give up everything he has (e.g. financial security, employment, and stability) and follows Jesus. But to our surprise, as readers, the following scene is of Levi inviting Jesus into the intimacy of his home so that he could throw a “mega” (lit.) party including all of his friends and coworkers. Remember, this is someone who was most likely shunned by his pious neighbors and possibly even his family. In other words, birds of a feather often fly together. This is important because the story Luke is attempting to tell is one of redemption and grace. Contrary to what we might expect, Jesus intentionally joins Levi at his party and demonstrates who is by enjoying a meal with Levi and his questionable friends. And seeing this unfold, the Scribes and Pharisees with shock and disgust on their faces ask Jesus’ disciples the question “Why do you eat with Tax Collectors and Sinners?” But notice how they ask this question not from within the party but are asking it from a distance. Also, notice how Tax Collectors are placed in a separate category compared to “regular” sinners. For many of us, this picture is all too familiar when we think of religion and Western evangelicalism. It is a religiosity and discipleship that is lived out on the fringes of the party but never within. Contrary to this, Jesus demonstrates the kind of life he wants his disciples to lead by joining the party and not missing out on a chance to show the love of God to them. In this way, Jesus calls us to follow Levi’s example not only by forsaking the things that held us in bondage but by taking up Jesus’ cause and inviting him into every part of our lives; not just the religious ones or the ones we’re proud of. All too often, the Christian life is composed of a list of “to-do’s” that are meant to draw us out of the world. But what if the purpose isn’t to create more categories such as the religious and non-religious or “tax collectors and sinners”, but rather to lead us into deeper relationships with each other and with God? For this reason, let us humbly examine our own categories and consider the walls we’ve built that have led to us watching Jesus at the party rather than joining him.
Study Questions:
Similar to our previous passage, what role does the crowd play in this story?
What’s the significance of the Scribes and Pharisees being left out of the banquet?
What can we learn from Levi’s example of inviting Jesus into his home?
Ask the question the Scribes and Pharisees ask for yourself. Why do you think Jesus eats with Tax Collectors and Sinners?
What categories do we see in our culture today that lead to similar results as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day?
